Young Cowboy dies in hospital

Promising North Queensland rugby league player Alex Elisala has died after his life support was switched off.

The 20-year-old full-time member of the Cowboys 2013 NRL squad was admitted to Mackay Base Hospital early on Sunday morning.

His distraught mother had flown from Brisbane to Mackay to be by her son's bedside along with other family members and friends.

Mackay police would not comment on the circumstances leading up to Elisala's hospitalisation.

A Logan Brothers junior, New Zealand-born Elisala made his Test debut for Samoa against Tonga earlier this month in Sydney, tweeting to his followers: "very honoured and proud to receive my first Toa Samoa jersey, and to (be) representing my family and heritage! #ToaSamoa".

Hours before being admitted to hospital around 5:00am (AEST) on Sunday, he had scored a try for the Mackay Cutters in their 22-22 Queensland Cup draw with Tweed Heads on Saturday afternoon.

His Cutters team-mates spent Sunday and much of Monday at hospital with him.

"This is an extremely sad time for our club, particularly for our players who trained and played alongside Alex in both our NYC and NRL teams," Cowboys chief executive Peter Jourdain said in a statement on Monday.

"Alex joined our club four years ago, had a distinguished career in our NYC squad and was already excelling in his first year as a full-time member of the NRL squad.

"He was undoubtedly one of the brightest young talents at the Cowboys.

"Alex was extremely well liked by everyone at the club and his jovial but dedicated presence in and away from football will be deeply missed by all.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Alex's family and his friends."

North Queensland players have been offered counselling by the club and the NRL to help them come to terms with Elisala's death.

A member of Queensland's under 20s side last year, Elisala was contracted to the Cowboys' 25-man first grade squad this season.

He had played 69 games for the club's under-20s side, the second-highest number of caps in the club's youth competition history, including its gripping 2011 grand final loss.

Cowboys players were told of his grave condition on Sunday and given an update at lunchtime on Monday.

"He was a kid who always had a smile on his face and he was a pretty good footballer," a Cowboys official said.

"This was his fourth season with the club.

"Neil (coach Neil Henry) had quite an opinion of his potential - we all did.

"It's a very sad day."

Editor's note: A previous published version of this story contained information that North Queensland Cowboys have since informed ABC Grandstand were incorrect.